Birmingham, 1963 by Carole Boston Weatherford

1. Bibliography
Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2007. BIRMINGHAM, 1963. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong. ISBN: 1590784405.

2. Plot Summary
This book is a recount of the events that take place on a young girl's tenth birthday, which happens to take place on September 15, 1963, the day that the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed by racist terrorists. This resulted in the deaths of four young girls and many being injured. The ten-year-old girl, who is the book's narrator, describes how the day started out as a normal Sunday morning with church rituals and festivities going as planned. Then, as an explosion takes place in the church, fear and panic arise the church and the tone of the book is automatically changed from being spiritual and hopeful to fearful and dreadful.

3. Critical Analysis
It is clear from the tone and language that Weatherford was using in this book that she was trying to not only trying to paint a picture of the history of the Civil Rights Movement and a particular landmark event that happened during this movement, but she was clearly trying to evoke emotion out of the reader. She encourages feelings of pride as she illustrates the young girl's narration of her participation in sit-ins and her attendance at Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. alongside her parents. She encourages joy and happiness in the young narrator's tone as she describes how her day began at church: her pride in her "patent-leather cha-cha heels," her excitement about performing This Little Light of Mine as her youth solo, and attending Sunday school. She also encourages emotions of sadness and heartbreak after the church is bombed and the four older girls that she saw going to the restroom (who she was hoping would invite her along the way) were killed in the explosion. This is evident in the young girl's quote: "The day I turned ten, there was no birthday cake with candles; just cinders, ash, and a wish I were still nine."

Weatherford's use of symbolism in this book is also to be noted. For example, there is a vivid description in the book about how the face of Jesus Christ is blown out of a stained-glass window. This clearly shows the irony of how Jesus Christ, who is seen to be a figure of peace and hope to many, especially in the Baptist church, seemingly would not have been visible in the wake of such a hateful and heinous attack.

Overall, I think that Weatherford successfully captured all of the most important elements of good children's poetry in this book: irony, evoking emotion, and imagery.

4. Review Excerpts
Kirkus Reviews-"A gorgeous memorial to the four killed on that horrible day, and to the thousands of children who braved violence to help change the world."
School Library Journal- "An emotional read...intimate and powerful."
Library Media Connection- "This is a book that should be in every library collection."

5. Connections
Due to its reference to an important event in American history, the target audience for this book was most likely be those children aged 9 and up (4th grade and up). This book would be a great source to use in lieu of teaching children about African-American history, as well as looking for typical aspects of poetry (imagery, irony, emotions, etc.). There are many aspects in this book that will allow students to make personal connections with the story being told. These aspects should be used to encourage children to express these connections in writing.
Other great books by Carole Boston Weatherford:

• Weatherford, Carole Boston. REMEMBER THE BRIDGE: POEMS OF A PEOPLE. ISBN 0399237.
• Weatherford, Carole Boston. STORMY BLUES. ISBN 1883275113.

Lion and the Ostrich Chicks and other African Tales retold by Ashley Bryan

1.      Bibliography

Bryan, Ashley.1986. LION AND THE OSTRICH CHICKS AND OTHER AFRICAN TALES. by Ashley Bryan. New York, NY: Atheneum. ISBN 068931311X.

2.      Plot Summary

This book contains a collection of folktales derived from African tradition and retold by notable children’s book author, Ashley Bryan. All of the stories include the theme of smaller animals outsmarting larger animals. For example, Lion and the Ostrich Chicks tells the story of a foolish lion who insists that he fathered some ostrich chicks that he is plotting to kill and eat for dinner. He is outsmarted by the ostrich chicks as they are able to escape from him and the chicks’ friend, a mongoose who angers the lion so much that he waits and waits for an opportunity to eat the mongoose until he wastes away from hunger.

3.      Critical Analysis

NOTE: Although this book contains four short tales, this critical analysis will only focus on Lion and the Ostrich Chicks. As I read Lion and the Ostrich Chicks, I was not totally impressed with the overly used idea of the lion being the bad guy because of his pride. However, I did like how this analogy was used to present a valuable theme: Pride and arrogance benefits no one. As the reader will see in this story, the lion is very prideful and he uses this pride to intimidate other animals. Yet, the ostrich chicks and the mongoose combat his pride with wisdom, showing that wisdom is stronger than pride (another possible theme).  Bryan, in his retelling of this African tale captures the connection between African storytellers and the animals that they may observe from afar.

4.      Review Excerpts

Publishers Weekly- “Illustrated with line art, each of four tales from a different region of Africa highlights the power of common sense.”

School Library Journal- “Bryan’s lively illustrations focus on animals engaged in the action taking place in the stories, but without any context, thus reinforcing the generic content of the stories.”

5.      Connections

Other great books written by Ashley Bryan include:

·         Bryan, Ashley. BEAT THE STORY-DRUM, PUM-PUM. ISBN 0689711077.

·         Bryan, Ashley. THE NIGHT HAS EARS. ISBN 0689824272.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

1.      Bibliography

Scieszka, Jon. 1996. THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. by Lane Smith. New York, NY: Puffin Books. ISBN 0140544518.

2.      Plot Summary

This children’s storybook is a creative variant based on the traditional of The Three Little Pigs. In this story, the wolf is the narrator. He claims that the traditional story is wrong and he implies that he was going to each of the three pigs’ houses in search of some sugar to bake a cake for his “dear old granny.” However, each time he gets a bad cold and sneezes so hard that he blows the first and second pigs’ houses down. As a result, he finds the pigs dead and insists that he eats them because he claims that it is a waste to just leave good ham dinners out to spoil. By the time he gets around to the third pig, who builds his of bricks, he is caught trying to break into this pig’s house and is arrested. From jail, he insists that people ran with the traditional story because it is more exciting than the story of a sick guy going to these pig’s houses in search of some sugar. He also claims that he was framed.

3.      Critical Analysis

What this book reveals to children is that anyone may take a traditional tale like The Three Little Pigs and make it their own. It encourages children to make distinctive comparisons and contrasts between traditional tales and their invented variants. It also inspires children to take it a step further by possibly inventing their own variants of traditional tales. Scieszka’s language in this book applies a very crafty and modern twist to such a traditional tale. Smith’s illustrations in the book are quite cartoonish and amusing, yet sophisticated

enough to attract children in the intermediate elementary grades (3^rd-5^th grade).

4.      Review Excerpts

Publisher’s Weekly-“Imaginative watercolors eschew realism, further updating the tale.”

Amazon.com- “As with The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, the collaborators take a classic story and send it through the wisecracker machine, much to the glee of kids young and old.”

5.      Connections

Related books may include:

·         Scieszka, Jon. THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES. ISBN 067084487X.

·         Trivizas, Eugene. THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG. ISBN 068981528X.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback

1.      Bibliography

Taback, Simms. 1998. THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY. by Simms Taback. New York, NY: Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670869392.

2.      Plot Summary

This book is Simms Taback’s printed version of the children’s song, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The book tells a story of an old lady who swallows a multitude of animals, each animal bigger than the last. She begins with a fly, then a spider, a bird, a cat, a dog, a pig, a goat, a cow, a donkey, then, finally, a horse. She swallows each animal for the purpose of that animal of catching the previous animal that she swallowed. Each description of the animals that she swallows is accompanied by a phrase that includes a word that rhymes with that animal, for example: “What a hog to swallow a dog.”

3.      Critical Analysis

This book would be a great source for teachers of primary elementary grades (PK-2^nd) to use when introducing to their students the idea of how a food chain works. Although this book does not demonstrate a logical food chain, at least it adequately presents the idea that a food chain typically begins with the smallest animal or a plant, then progresses toward larger animals. This book is also a great source for teachers to use when teaching students about how words rhyme, like onset and other kinds of rhyme.

4.      Review Excerpts

School Library Journal-“The text is handwritten on vivid strips of paper that are loosely placed on the patterned page, thus creating a lively interplay between the meaning of the words and their visual power.”

Kirkus Reviews-“It is good fun to watch the old lady bulge and bloat, and the sheer corniness of the verse continues to be deeply gratifying.”

5.      Connections

Other great books written by Simms Taback include:

·         Taback, Simms. I MISS YOU EVERY DAY. ISBN 0670061921.

·         Taback, Simms. JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT. ISBN 0670878553.

·         Taback, Simms.THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. ISBN 0142402001.

Dave the Potter, Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill and illustrated by Bryan Collier

1. Bibliography
Hill, Laban Carrick. 2010. DAVE THE POTTER, POET, SLAVE. by Bryan Collier. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 031610731X.

2. Plot Summary
In this book, Laban Carrick Hill tells the real-life story of a slave named Dave who had an exquisite talent for pottery. Dave uses this talent to create clay pots and carved words of poetry into the pots that reflected his viewpoint on his enslaved life. This was considered a high risk for Dave as slaves were not allowed to learn how to read and write.

3. Critical Analysis
Hill's writing in this book could take on a metaphorical sense as it could be suggested that the story is of a slave who used the Earth to tell his story and express himself. This is a well-established connection between the past and the present as this same "Earth" would exist long after Dave's death and the fruits of his talents would still survive. In his writing style, Hill takes the reader on a journey through this book as he explicitly describes how Dave creates his pottery in a step-by-step process. Perhaps the most profound aspect of how the book is written is inclusion of Dave's quote: "I wonder where is all my relation friendship to all--and, every nation." This is reflective of the need for a feeling of true equality that was probably felt by most other slaves living in Dave's lifetime.

Bryan Collier's illustrations, as with any group of illustrations in a good picture book were highly consistent with Hill's language and writing style. The pictures were very sophisticated indicating that the book itself was written and illustrated with the intermediate elementary school-level child (3rd-5th grade) as a target audience member. Children in this age group would be better able to appreciate the level of maturity that is brought across in this book's language and illustration than children in the primary elementary school-level children (Pre-K-2nd grade).

This book would be great to use as a support resource for intermediate elementary school aged students to read and/or have read to while learning about African-American history and/or slavery as it gives a unique perspective on the slaves and teaches the children that despite their bondage, slaves could still have special gifts, talents, and abilities.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal-"An inspiring story, perfectly presented and sure to prompt classroom discussion and projects. Outstanding in every way."
Booklist-"Collier's gorgeous watercolor-and-collage illustrations recall the work of E.B. Lewis-earth-toned, infused with pride, and always catching his subjects in the most telling poses. A beautiful introduction to a great lost artist."

5. Connections
Related books may include:

• Levine, Ellen. HENRY'S FREEDOM BOX: A TRUE STORY FROM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. by Kadir Nelson. ISBN 043977733X.
• Nelson, Kadir. HEART AND SOUL: THE STORY OF AMERICA AND AFRICAN AMERICANS. by Kadir Nelson. ISBN 0061730742.

Duck for President by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin

1. Bibliography
Cronin, Doreen. 2004. DUCK FOR PRESIDENT. by Betsy Lewin. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0439671442.

2. Plot Summary
Doreen Cronin's Duck for President displays the levels of governmental power achieved by the book's protagonist, Duck. Duck goes from being voted farmer to governor to eventually becoming President of the United States. Despite these accomplishments, Duck expresses discontent with the responsibilities that each of these titles require. He constantly laments about the hard work that each job entails and eventually decides to move on to something else. By the book's end, he returns to the farm and begins working on his autobiography.

3. Critical Analysis
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Cronin's language in Duck for President is its satirical tone. For example,  it repeatedly mentioned in Duck's election campaigns for governor and president that "He gave speeches that only other ducks could understand." This could easily be seen as a satirical jest made at how often politicians tend to use language and words that are often misunderstood by the lay public in their speeches and debates. Another satirical twist to the story was when Duck was playing the saxophone on late-night television. This was obviously a jest made toward President Bill Clinton who played the saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show when he was a presidential candidate in 1992. It is quite clear that Cronin was trying to illustrate the following theme to her readers: Many politicians work hard to campaign and be elected to higher-ranking positions, but once they obtain these positions, they realize the responsibilities that these positions entail are more than what they bargained for and many of them end up leaving politics to write memoirs or autobiographies.

Betsy Lewin's illustrations in Duck for President show great consistency with the events of the story and how it is told. Any good picture book contains pictures that could very easily tell the story if there were no words written at all. The shocked expressions of Farmer Brown and the governor after learning that they were defeated by Duck in elections were well-demonstrated. Most of Lewin's illustrations throughout the book are of a cartoonish nature, however, there were some realistic-looking pictures displayed in the book. An example of this were the pictures of the voting poll numbers between Duck and Mr. President. These pictures highly resembled an actual television news broadcast.

Overall, I think that Duck for President is an ideal children's literature book because it could very well be used to help children learn about the campaigning process, what takes place during elections, and the levels of power within national government. It may also appeal to adult audiences because of its satirical nature.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal- "Lewin's characteristic humorous watercolors with bold black outlines fill the pages with color and jokes. Cronin's text is hilarious for kids and adults and includes a little math and quite a bit about the electoral process."
Publishers Weekly- "Lewin's chunky-outlined watercolors continue to cater to the younger crowd with her usual dashes of humor and dafty sweetness. Her depictions of the campaign trail motorcades, parades, and town meetings are a hoot."
Kirkus Reviews-"The comedy flows freely on more levels than one, and there's sufficient hilarity for all."

5. Connections
Related books may include:

• Cronin, Doreen. CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE. by Betsy Lewin. ISBN 1442433701.
• Cronin, Doreen. GIGGLE, GIGGLE, QUACK. by Betsy Lewin. ISBN 1416903496.
• Cronin, Doreen. DIARY OF A WORM. by Harry Bliss. ISBN 043969745X.